Spring-board.



D. ETCHER.

5 BOARD.

APPLICA 1915. 1,21Q920. Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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SPRING BOARD.

APPLICATION HLED MAYZI, l9l5- 1,210,920. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- b @FiQ.

DOUGLAS 1. FLETCHER, 0F CICERO, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. a, rare.

Application filed May 21, 1915. Serial No. 29,491.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS P. FLETCHER, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Cicero, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Boards; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved type of spring-board which may be readily dismantled and packed for transportation from place .to place, and also capable of being easily and quickly set up for use. As a general thing, spring-boards, particularly in nata-toriums, are permanently constructed on the side wall or floor around the tank, and due to the fact that very seldom the constructions of different natatoriums are in any way similar, visiting athletes being unaccustomedto different types of boards, experience trouble in using the same. By this invention, however, it is possible for an athlete to have his own particular spring-board, which may be carried from place to place and easily set up for use.

The type of board constructed according to my invention is alsoja device which may be placed upon the market and sold throughout the country, particularly to bathing resorts. The usual spring-board construction at bathing resorts is a long board mounted to project outwardly from a dock or pier, thus forming a hindrance to the docking of boats, an objectionable feature entirely overcome by my construction, inasmuch as the same may be mounted at practically any point on the dock or pier.

It is an object therefore of this invention to construct a spring-board embracing guiding and supporting means for aboard with resilient means connected at one end of the board.

It is also an objectof this invention to construct: a spring-board comprising guide and retaining barsadapted for attachment to a block to receive one end of a spring: board slidably thereon, and with a plurality of resilient means d'etachably connected to the other endoftheboard and to the ends of said guide membersand block.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct a spring-board embracing long guide bars turned inwardly at oneend to receive one end of a board slidably therein with the inturned end of the bars positively retaining the board associated therewith, and with a plurality of coiled compression springs detachably connected to the other end of said board and guide bars by thumb nuts and bolts, permitting ready dismantling of the device for packing within a confined space such as an ordinary suitcase, for easy transportation from place to place.

It is finally an object of this invention to construct a spring-board which may be readily dismantled or assembled for use without requiring permanent attachment to a support, and which, when dismantled, may be packed for convenient transportation.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end view of a device embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with parts shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a carrying case illustrating my device in elevation therein packed for transportation. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of device. Fig. 7 is an end view thereof. Fig. 8 is a similar end view of another modified form. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of another modified form of construction. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the board illustrating a modified form of connection therefor. Fig. 11 is a detail section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10, of a modified form of connection for one end of the spring-board. Fig. 13 is a detail section taken on line 1313 of Fig. 12. Fig; 1a is a view similar to Fig. 13, of another n1odified form of connection of the board.

As shown in the drawings: The board itself is indicated by the reference numeral 1, and is apertured at its forward end to receive bolts 2, therethrough whereby coiled compression springs 23, may be connected on the under surface of said board on said bolts by means of detachable thumb-nuts 4:, threaded on the ends of the bolts. A pair of guide bars is provided, each denoted by the reference numeral 5, and each at its rear end is bent upwardly and inwardly, as indicated by the reference numeral 6, in Fig. 2, to receive the rear end of the board 1, slidably therein, said board provided with grooves or recesses on its under surface at its rear end, as shown in the sectional view in Fig. 3', for engagement with the bars 5, for guidance thereby, being held in such engagement by the inturned portions 6, of said bars. The forward ends of said guide bars 5, are bent at a slight angle, as denoted by the reference numeral 7 for attachment upon a transverse angled block 8, and for this purpose the block is provided with apertures to receive bolts 9, therethrough, provided with thumb-nuts 10, adapted not only to afford a means of engagement for the angled ends 7, of said bars to the block, but also to receive the lower ends of the springs 3, connected thereon. At the rear end of said respective guide bars 5, are provided apertures 11, by which the same may be attached to a suit able support if so desired, but ordinarily this is unnecessary. 'Also at the rear ends of said bars 5, near the apertures 11, are apertures 12, which are utilized for attaching the block 8, to that end of the bars by means of the bolts 9, when the device is dismantled and packedfor shipment in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5. As shown in Fig. 5, attaching clips 14, may be connected upon the sides of the board 1, at the rear end thereof to permit attachment thereof to the springs 3, when packed for shipment in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown long curved leaf springs 15, connected to one end of a spring-board 1, by means of thumbnuts 16, and bolts 17 provided for the purpose. The rear end of the board in the present instance is allowed to rest upon any suitable fiat surface and either the rear end of the board or the end portion of the springs 15, contacting the supporting surface, may be permitted to slide, as desired,

but it is obvious that if either one thereof rests against an abutment, that the other thereof must necessarily have a sliding movement.

In the modified form of device illustrated in Fig. 8, I have shown leaf springs 18, which are formed from a single unitary'or integral bar of metal suitably bent for the purpose and detachably connected on the 7 under surface of one end of the springboard'l, by means ofrbolts andrthumbnuts 19. I

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated a Y-arrangement of guidebar's 20, associated with an end block 21, topermit support of said associated bars and end block at three points, thus facilitating use of the springboard upon an uneven surface, the board in the present instance'being denoted by the reference numeral 22, and associated with said block and bars in any manner, such as that already shown. V

In Figs. 10'to 14 inclusive, I have illustrated a number of various methods of connection of theboard 1, to guide bars. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the end of a guide bar 23, is bent upwardly and outwardly, to afford a downwardly facing hook portion for engagement through a staple 24, driven into the end of the spring-board 1. In Figs. 12 and 13, I have shown the lower end'of the spring-board 1, slotted and provided with a transverse pin 25, therethrough, adapted to engage in a longitudinal slot 26, in a guide bar 27, said slot curving upwardly at one end and opening through the edge of the bar to permit detachment of the board 1, by moving the pin 25, out of engagement with the slot. In the form of device illus- I V trated in Fig. 14, I have shown the lower rear end of the spring-board 1, cut away to receive the inturned end 28, of a guide bar 29, engaged over a transverse pin 30, provided in the cut-away portion of the springboard, thus permitting sliding and pivotal movement of the end of the board, and yet positively retaining the same associated with the guide bar.

The operation is thought to be obvious from the description. However, the weight of the person is sustained upon the upper or outer end of theboard over 'theresilient springs connected therebeneath, and when the same are compressed and released, as the secure the same to the surface on which it is supported.

In am aware that various details of construction maybe varied through a wide range without departing'from the principles of this invention, and I'therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as m invention: 1. In 'a' spring board ofv the" class de-.

scribed, guiding members, resilient means connected at one end thereof, and a board connected to said resilientmeans and having sliding engagement upon said guiding members.

2. In a device of the class described, guide bars, a block detachably secured transversely thereof at one endthereof, resilientrmeans detachably connected: onisaid end or said bars, and a board having; one; end thereof;

detachably connected 'to said resilient means with the other end having sliding engagement with the other end of said guide bars.

3. In a portable spring-board device of the class described, a board, and means slidably and resiliently supporting the same.

4. In a device of the class described, a board, means slidably and detachably supporting and guiding one end thereof, and resilient means detachably connected to the other end of said board.

5. In a device of the class described, guide bars, a block transversely connected at one end of the same, resilient means associated with said bars and block, the other end of said bars turned upwardly and inwardly, and a spring board having sliding engagement with said bars confined to engagement therewith by said inturned ends thereof and at the other end connected to said resilient means.

6. In a take-down spring-board a board member, coiled springs, means detachably connecting said springs to the end of said board member, and guiding and supporting means adapted to receive said springs detachably connected thereto and to receive the end of said board slidably and detachably engaged therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DOUGLAS P. FLETCHER. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, J12, EARL M. HARDINE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

